Coupler knuckle bearing



May 13, 1952 F. H. KAYLER COUPLER KNUCKLE BEARING 2 SHEETS--SHEET l Filed Oct. l1, 1949 Patented May 13, 1952 COUPLER KNUCKLE BEARING Frank H. Kayler, Alliance, Ohio, assigner to American Steel Foundries, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of New Jersey Appiication october 11, 1949, serial No. 120,763

9 Claims.

This invention relates to railway couplers and more particularly to a novel coupler wherein the parts are formed and arranged to cooperate in an improved manner to reduce the resistance of knuckle operation to the minimum.

Due to the conditions under which present couplers operate in service, it is highly desirable that the operation of unlocking the coupler and opening the knuckle by the conventional operating rod which extends to the side of a car be made as easy as possible to counteract the temptation for an operator to step between cars to open the knuckle directly by hand-an extremely hazardous practice.

It is therefore desirable to reduce friction resistance to free operation of the knuckle to a minimum and at the same time retain all desirable :features of operation, strength, and service wear resistance of present coupler designs.

A general object of the invention is to provide an improved coupler incorporating the desirable features of present designs and wherein the parts are formed and arranged to cooperate in a manner accommodating free operation of the knuckle.

A further object is to provide such a coupler wherein the parts are interchangeable with corresponding parts of the couplers presently in use,

A more specific object is to design a novel seating arrangement for the knuckle on a coupler head which, even after considerable wear, will not interfere with free opening of the knuckle.

A different object is to design a seating arrangement wherein the bearing area between the knuckle and the head decreases as the knuckle is being opened, thereby reducing frictional resistance.

Another object is to engage the knuckle and head in such manner that the formation of shoulders on the surface of the coupler head supporting the knuckle is prevented, thereby eliminating a wedging action between the knuckle and the coupler head such as will resist free opening of the knuckle.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent from the specication and the drawings wherein:

Figure l is a fragmentary side elevational view of the novel coupler, taken from the knuckle side thereof;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary bottom View of the knuckle;

Figure 3 is an edge view of the knuckle;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the bottom ear of the coupler head;

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the bottom ear taken substantially on the line 5--5 of Figure fi;

(Cl. Z13- 152) Figure 6 is a sectional view of the assembly of the knuckle with the bottom ear, the section being taken in the plane substantially as indicated by the line 6--6 of Figure 7, the parts shown being new;

Figure 'I is a fragmentary front view of the knuckle and bottom ear assembly, the parts being shown worn and the movement of the knuckle to open position being illustrated in phantom lines; and

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 8 8 of Figure 7.

Describing the invention in detail, the coupler, generally designated 2, comprises a head 4 including vertically spaced top and bottom ears or lugs 6 and 8 provided on their adjacent sides with bosses I0 and I2.

The bosses I0 and I2 receive a hub I4 therebetween of a knuckle I6. The knuckle is pivotally connected to the head for rotation on a substantially vertical axis by a pin I'8 extending through a complementary opening 2l] in the hub I4, an opening 22 in the boss I0 and top ear 6, and opening 24 in boss I2 in the bottom ear 8. The openings 22 and 24 receive the pin loosely and are oval-shaped, as seen in Figures 1 and 4. It Will be understood that in certain designs the opening 20 may be larger than the pin. The openings 22 and 24 are elongatedflongitudinally of the coupler. This arrangement permits the knuckle to move longitudinally of the coupler under draft and buff forces. The knuckle is, of course, also movable laterally of the coupler. Longitudinal movement of the knuckle in closed position is limited by top and bottom U-shaped flanges 26 and 28 on the top and bottom of the knuckle. The flanges 26 and 28 loosely, partially embrace the bosses IIJ and I2, respectively, and are abuttable therewith along complementary generally vertical surfaces.

The bottom of the hub of the knuckle is provided with a bearing pad 30 having a flat face 32 in slidable engagement as at 34 with a flat top surface 36 on the bottom boss I2. It will be noted that when the parts are new, theknuckle is supportedsolely on the bottom boss, as seen in Figure 6. Inasmuch as the fknuckle is movable with respect to the coupler, the surfaces 32 and 36 wear until the lower iiat edge surface 38 of the bottom flange 28 on the knuckle engages as at 40 a Iiat top surface 42 on the bottom ear adjacent the base of boss I2, as seen in Figure 7. Under these conditions, the bearing area between the knuckley and the coupler is. materially increasedf'which is desirable tofreducev Wear; however, the frictional resistance to operation oftheV knuckle is increased, not only because of the added bearing between surfaces 38 and 42 but also because these surfaces are spaced further from the axis of rotation of the knuckle.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 7, it will be noted that in the closed position of the knuckle the flanges 26 and 28 are spaced at their outer or'leading ends 44 from stop 46 on the ears, said stops being adapted for abutment with the ends 44 to limit rotation of the knuckle to open position.

In effect, a'boss 52 is provided on the top ofthe bottom ear which is terminated inboardly o f the outboard .end 44 of flange l28. The areas of engagement between surfaces 32 and 36 and surfaces 38 and 42 in worn condition is shown in phantom lines in Figure 8 at 54 and 56, respectively.

This arrangement and construction of surfaces 38 and 42 not only prevents the formation of la shoulder ,on the top side of the bottom ear between the end 44 of 4iange 28 and the stop 46, up "which the knuckle would have to ride when it is being opened as shown in phantom lines in Figure 7, but also during opening of the vknuckle the flange progressively slides off surface 42 lwhereby the bearing area between the knuckle and the head is progressively decreased, thus Vreducing the frictional resistance to opening of the knuckle.

I claim:

1. In a coupler, a head comprising spaced top and V,bottom ears with bosses on their adjacent sides, a knuckle extending between said bosses, a pin extending through openings in said ears, bosses and knuckle loosely, rotatably connecting said knuckle tothe head whereby said knuckle is movable longitudinally and laterally of the head,

and top and bottom flanges on said knuckle loosely partially surrounding `the bosses on the vtop and bottom ears, respectively, for abutment with-the bosses to limit movement of the knuckle inthe ,closed position thereof longitudinally of the head, .said knuckle and the boss on the bottom ear engaging along flat surfaces extending'transversely of the pin completely therearound, said bottom ear having a ila-t top face, and said bottom flange having a flat face on the bottom edge thereof engageable with said first-mentioned Vface after said surfaces wear a predetermined amount as a result of move- `ment `of said knuckle, said rst-mentioned face, in theclcsed `position of said knuckle, terminati-ng at its outer end inboardly vof the outer end -of said second-mentioned yface in a direction o f rotationof said knuckle to open position, thereby precluding the lformation of a shoulder on said vOpen posi-tion.

2. In a coupler, a head comprising a substantially horizontal ear with an upstanding boss thereon, a substantially horizontal flat surface on the top of said boss, a knuckle supportedV on said boss and having a fiat'surface in engagement with said first-mentioned surface, a pin extending through said 'surfaces and' through yan opening in said boss and said ear and an opening in said knuckle and connecting said knuckle to said head on a substantially vertical axis for rotation in one direction to open position and in the opposite direction to closed position, at least one of said openings being larger than the diameter of the pin, whereby said knuckle is accommodated translatory movement with respect to said head, and an abutment on said knuckle partially loosely surrounding said boss and adapted for engagement therewith in the closed position of said knuckle t0 limit said movementof said knuckle longitudinally Vof the coupler, said ear having a substantially flat top face extending partially around said boss, said abutment having a flat face opposing said iirst-mentioned face and engageable therewith after said surfaces wear a predetermined amount, said second-mentioned face extending `beyond said first-mentioned face in said one direction in the' closed position of said knuckle whereby the formation of a shoulder on the ear face in the path of movement of said abutment in said one direction of rotation of the knuckle from closed position is precluded as said faces wear during the period when said knuckle is closed.

3. In a coupler, a head having a substantially horizontal ear with an upstanding boss thereon, a knuckle having a hub with a substantially vertical opening therethrough, a flat bearing surface on said hub extending around said opening and engaging a complementary surface on the top of said boss, a pin pivotally connecting the knuckle to the head and extending through said openingin said hub and through `anjopening in said boss and ear, one of said openings being larger than the pin, whereby said knuckle is accommodated translatory movement in a substantially horizontal plane with respect to said head, a ange on said knuckle partially loosely surrounding said bossfor abutment therewith to limit Vmovement of the knuckle in the closed position thereof vlongitudinally .of the head, and a substantially nat top face on said ear, said ange having a substantially flat face on thebottom thereof engageable with said firstmentioned face after said surfaces wear a predetermined amount, said second-mentionedface, when said knuckle `is in closed position, extending beyond said first-mentioned face in a `direction of rotation of said knuckle from closed position to open position whereby as said knuckle is rotated from closed position said second-mentioned face is caused to progressively slide off said first-mentioned face.

4. In a coupler, a head Ycornpr-isingan ear with an upstanding boss, a knuckle supported on ,said boss, a pin extending through said eargboss and knuckle pivotally connecting the knuckle to the head, flat, coextensive, contacting bearing sur.- .aces on the bottom of said knuckle and the top of said boss extending around said pin and having their outer perimeters concentric with the axis of rotation of said knuckle, a U-shaped depending fiange on the bottom of the knuckle partially surrounding said boss, a iflatface `o n vthe top of said ear extending partiallyaround said boss. and a fiat face on said flange engageable with said first-mentioned face after said surfaces are worn alpredetermined amount, said secondmentioned face in the closed position of the knuckle extending beyond said first-mentioned face in a direction of rotation of said knuckle to open position.

5. In a coupler, a head, a knuckle. and means pivoting saidv knuckle to said head on a substantially vertical axis and comprising a flat face on the bottom' of said knuckle and a flat surface on the head beneath said face adapted to be engaged by said face under certain conditions, said knuckle being rotatable to open position in a predetermined direction and to closed position in the opposite direction, stops limiting rotation of the knuckle in" both directions, said surface and face extending around the forward and rear sides of said axis, said surface at the forward side of the;

axis terminating inboardly of said face in a direction of rotation of said knuckle to open position in al1 positions of the knuckle between closed and openpositions.

` 6. In a coupler, a head having an ear with an upstanding'` boss provided with a flat top surface, a knuckle`pivotally connected to the head and in rotatable fiat-face engagement with said surface, and a flange on said knuckle partiallysurrounding said boss for abutment therewith under cer-l tain conditions and arranged to engage with the top side of'said ear along flat faces after said knuckle and surface wear a predetermined amount. the leading end of the face on said knuckle in theclosed position of the knuckle extending beyond the face on said ear in a direction of rotation of said knuckle to open position.

'7. In a coupler, a head, a knuckle, means pivotally connecting said head and knuckle on a substantially vertical axis, said knuckle being rotatable in one direction to open position, and engaging nat surfaces on said knuckle and head, said surface on the head terminating at one end inbcardly of said surface on said knuckle in a direction of rotation of the knuckle to open position whereby during such rotation of the knuckle it is capable of sliding off said surface on the head.

8. In a coupler, a head, a knuckle, and means connecting said head and knuckle on a substantially vertical axis, a substantially flat surface on the bottom of said knuckle, a substantially flat face on said head beneath said surface engageable therewith, said knuckle being rotatable to open position in one direction and to closed position in the opposite direction, said surface and face extending partially around fore and aft of said axis, said surface in the closed position of said knuckle extending at least as far as said face in the direction of rotation of the knuckle to open position.

9. A coupler according to claim 8, wherein said face slopes downwardly in said last-mentioned direction and merges with a surface on said head disposed at a level below said surface.

FRANK H. KAYLER.

Name Date Bazeley Dec. 9, 1924 OTHER REFERENCES Physics by Hausmann and Slack. 2nd edition. Published by D. Van Nostrand Co. Inc., 250 Fourth Avenue, N. Y. C., N. Y., page '77.. (Copy available in Division 34 of the U. S. Patent Oiiice.)

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